You can't choose family
by tecachan
Summary: Harry Potter is not The-Boy-Who-Lived. In fact, who the hell is Harry Potter? This is a story about The-Boy-Who-Lived's life after his family gained new members. AU. Starts last day of 3rd Year. Evil!Dumbledore. Slytherin!Harry. Alive Potters.
1. 1 - Summer Plans

You can't choose family...?

Summary: Harry Potter is not The-Boy-Who-Lived. In fact, who the hell is Harry Potter? This is a story about The-Boy-Who-Lived's life after his family gained new members. AU. Starts last day of 3rd Year. Evil!Dumbledore. Slytherin!Harry. Alive Potters.

Warnings: Eventual slash, that means Male on Male. Harry really is not The-Boy-Who-Lived; still, he is a very powerful wizard. The Potters survived AND are not evil or bad parents. Dumbledore is not only manipulative, he can be downright evil in this story. AU where Harry's twin is The-Boy-Who-Lived and Harry doesn't live with his family. Harry is sorted into Slytherin. Grey!Voldemort. Still don't know final pairings. Slow paced story.

Disclaimer: Didn't do this in another story, but oh well. Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter and don't make money out of it.

A/N: I researched a little and discovered that the name "John/Jane Doe" although commonly used in the US as a name for unidentified corpses (or alive people) is not as used in the UK. For the sake of my story, please take John Doe as a name used for unidentified corpses and/or people; this sort of add to the depth of one of the character's many complexes. This story focus on family and friendship interactions, especially so in the first year, so don't expect a lot of romance so soon.

* * *

1 - Summer Plans

"So, what are you so excited about, Darren?"

"I'm spending summer with Ron at the Burrow. You're coming too, right?" Darren asked her grinning like a loon.

"Yeah, Mione. You should come too; we always have space." Ron put his arm over their best friend's shoulder. Hermione only shook her head.

"I'll think about it. I want to spend some time with my parents, you know." She sighed knowing it was alright to do so in front of her best friends. She didn't have to pretend to be stronger than she was. They always had her back and always were there for her when she needed them the most. She could admit they could be a bit harsh on their pranks, but she knew they only wanted a laugh. It's not like they wanted to hurt someone. "When are you going there, anyway?"

"Right after we leave the train!" They chorused.

"Aren't you a bit too excited? And what about your parents? Don't you want to spend time with them after so long? You didn't even go back home for the holidays; you spent Christmas with Ron too."

"That's our Hermione! A thousand questions in a second!" Ron laughed out loud almost rolling to the side. She frowned and looked pointedly to Darren waiting for her answers. She really hated not knowing things.

"Mum and dad sent a letter today telling me to go to the Burrow. Seems like this time they found a strong lead to where Harry might be. Can't wait for them to bring my baby brother back home, even if he's a squib." He plastered his loon grin on his face again. Harry... Hermione still remembered the day Darren confided to Ron and her about his twin. That was what stopped her hero worship towards the Headmaster.

Hermione always thought that if someone held a position of power over others, that person should know better and always be right. It was quite a shock for her twelve-year-old self to have her delusions of a black and white world ripped from her like that. She understood why people thought Dumbledore was oh-so-great; he had defeated a Dark Lord after all. Everyone saw him as a beacon of light, the embodiment of everything good and light. The Potters, Ron and Hermione knew better. He was an old and biased man. If he thought you were good then nothing you did was wrong, Darren and Ron took good advantage of that in other to escape punishment for their pranks and escapades. Sometimes Hermione herself did so as well, it was really hard to get a permission slip for the Restricted Session of the Hogwarts Library after all.

Anyway, people only thought him so good because they didn't know better. They didn't know Darren had a twin. Sure Darren was The-Boy-Who-Lived and needed special protections growing up but that didn't make it right for Dumbledore to interfere in their family like he did. Taking Harry away against his parents' wills was kidnapping, still is. Even if he meant good by taking him away, he shouldn't have done so.

* * *

"I'm telling you, John. I'm almost convincing them. Even Uncle Sev has only good things to say about you! They ought to be convinced by your magical prowess at the very least! You're the strongest and brightest in our year. Even the upperclassmen ask you for help!"

"That's because I actually offer to help, Draco." He was really getting annoyed. He loved his best friend like a brother but he hated all this talk about adoption. He stopped hoping for the better a long time ago, no, he just wanted to graduate and move on with his life. He was sick and tired of hoping against hope to be adopted by and become a part of a nice family. He was not a young and delusional kid anymore, one day he would have a family but one he would make. After fourteen years of life, the prospect of adoption was non-existent.

"I'm a Malfoy and Malfoys-"

"Always get what they want. I know. You made sure I knew."

"Exactly. And I want you to be officially my brother; it's just a matter of time." Draco gave him one of those smirks he used to say he was always right and John couldn't do anything about it. It's strange how one got used to such things, said smirk used to irk him to prove Draco wrong but now... John could only feel reassurance when confronted with it. Nothing bad could happen to him as long as Draco was with him.

John chuckled thinking about his feelings for Draco. This whole year had been about experimenting new sensations, discovering themselves and what they did like. There was so much trust between them they actually thought they were in love. Only once they got past the touches and went almost all the way did they understand that it was a mere teenage curiosity. John felt a bit relieved; he liked to fool around with kisses and a few touches, engaging into real sexual relationships not so much. He could have done it for Draco, thank God- Merlin, their attraction was that of brothers. No one could fault them, they are easily in the top ten best looking guys of the school, and Draco being, well, Draco Malfoy was very sought after.

To this day, John couldn't understand what Draco saw in him to arouse such curiosity. Who would have thought a Malfoy could befriend a muggleborn. It is such an unthinkable occurrence people tend to forget his muggleborn status. The interesting bit is Draco couldn't care less about that, John was John and that was the end of it. He could rip any other muggleborn apart because of their blood status and still find reasons to assert John was above them. To be fair, he was. He was probably the best student to ever grace Hogwarts. Moreover, the summer would be a good break from Draco, his better-than-thou attitude started to rub off.

"When are you acting on your silly crush?" He said unable to hold a chuckle in.

"That was not subtle, you know? At least you're back with us. You should really stop spacing out like that; one day someone will take advantage of you!"

"Like you?"

"Like me."

"Maybe being taken advantage of is not so bad. And you were also not subtle in dodging my question. Like at all."

"Not anytime soon." And just like that, the Malfoy heir became redder than an angry Weasley. _Better not let him know what I just compared him to._


	2. 2 - Best Summer Ever

A/N: Thank you for favs and follows and reviews :)

* * *

2 - Best Summer Ever

"But, Father!" Draco whined yet once again.

"I said I would think about it, Draco. If you whine once more, I will decide against it." Lucius closed the door to his office behind him stopping his son from following inside. Sometimes Draco could be unbearable.

Lucius sat down to go over his correspondence noticing earlier one of them was from his lawyer. As expected, the only thing left was to pick the boy from his orphanage and have whoever was in charge of it to sign the papers. Then in a few days, the proceedings on the Ministry would be finished and the Malfoy family would be expanded.

Narcissa was excited to adopt a new child, even if he was the same age as their son. Now she was beginning to consider it for the daughter they could never conceive. Maybe this time a younger one, children over eleven years of age did make the adoption process lengthier and more tiresome. This was especially true for muggleborns, muggles had such a bureaucratic system that only the thought of it made Lucius' head flare with the beginnings of a new weeklong ache.

Lucius took the papers to his room in order to change into wizarding clothes also fit for mingling on the muggle world and to invite his dear wife to pick up their new son. With a carefully masked smile on his face, he thought about his new son, a boy who despite his origins picked his heir's interest up and instigated him to be better. He couldn't wait to feel the boy's magic and nurture it.

* * *

John was bored. He was on the verge of giving in his whimsical feelings of borrowing a few books from the library nearby. It was a stupid idea, he knew, but what else was he supposed to do the rest of the summer when even all his Hogwarts homework was done barely a week after being back. The hardest part of borrowing from the library must be keeping them away from the other kids, they were sure to destroy them. He had no money to replace them, at least no muggle money. He still had some galleons left after buying his new trunk via owl order...

"John, you stupid stupid ape!" Of course, he should have thought of his trunk already. He saved his gold for two years to buy one with all the spells he wanted to be imbued in it. Not only it had permanent featherlight and expanding charms, it also could be shrunk and unshrunk without the touch of a wand. But above all else, the best features and the ones that made it really expensive were the protective measures imbued into it, it couldn't be broken, burnt or destroyed in any way really and it counted with a password John set up. He was pretty sure no one at this orphanage would ever discover, never mind be able to pronounce it.

That decided it. John was going to go to the library today and load himself with some nice and interesting books. Maybe he would find some place to help out during the summer; that could be a way to waste a bit of his free time and earn some pocket change to take a cab to London this time instead of the usual long bus/train/subway ride.

* * *

"Lucius, are you _sure_ this is the right place?" Narcissa couldn't believe her eyes. How is it that anyone was able to live in such a... place, let alone a wizard.

"I'm afraid so, dear." She saw that her husband was as appalled as she was.

"Let us get this over with as fast as possible, Lucius. I'm not leaving my son in this _place_ even a minute more than strictly necessary." For the first time in her life, she took the lead and went inside ahead of her husband. This wasn't normal behaviour for a well-bred pureblood lady like her; she had always let others believe her husband was in charge of everything even the few times she took the lead. Today, however, she was above all etiquette. Today her priority was her son.

* * *

Summer, a season when prospective parents didn't deem good to get a new kid. She pitied these poor children with no chance at being part of a good family. After all, who in their right mind would choose a child from this dumpster the government called an orphanage over those of a well-cared and funded institution? At least in the beginning of summer, they stayed out of trouble, too excited at not having to go to school to think of mischief. Even poor John was left alone the first weeks. John was a really good kid but she couldn't be unfair and biased, so she was extra harsh with him when he misbehaved.

The wonders of proper education did so much for that boy. He got to go to a nice private school with the right sort. His scholarship was a godsend; he would have a brilliant future ahead of him. His manners and speech improved in a way these poor kids would never be able to learn. Even his mischief-making had lessened, then again it could be due to him being here for only a bit over two months. Today he even went to the library! None of the other kids liked going there, not even Benny did that. And Benny was the best of them all!

A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts. One of the children saying there was a couple here and they looked rich, that was so unusual they must be lost just looking for information. These silly rich people thinking themselves better than the working class, not polite at all.

"I'm Barbara Summers. How can I help you today?" She introduced herself cordially noticing the kid was right, one could see the money dripping from their very pores. They seemed nice, though, she could see even an ounce of discomfort coming off them.

* * *

"Ah, Mrs Summers, a pleasure to meet you. I am Lucius Malfoy and this is my wife, Narcissa." Lucius even made sure to add a small smile to his mask. Nothing could go wrong today, not after seeing the _institution_. His wife and son would never forgive him for letting John spend even a minute more at this place. _He_ wouldn't forgive himself for that.

"A pleasure indeed, Mrs Summers." His wife also extended her hand in a way to treat the woman on equal grounds. It seemed Narcissa was as determined as he was to see this through smoothly.

"There is mine, but I'm still unmarried. Too young to be taken." The woman shook both their hands grimacing a little, no doubt at being called Mrs like an old woman. However, Severus didn't nickname him _smooth bastard_ for nothing.

"My apologies, Ms Summers. I couldn't conceive such a lovely and charming young lady as yourself being single, though, I should have known better. Such a caring lady who dedicates her time to helping these poor children would rather wait for a proper man who would be understanding and as dedicated as you no doubt are. I advise you to take your time choosing from your long line of suitors."

"My!" The woman flushed a disgusting shade of red that blotched over her skin in deformed square shapes. She was fanning her face and looking with lewd eyes at Lucius when thankfully his wife made the next step.

"Indeed, _Ms_ Summers. You are the one in charge of this institution, are you not?"

"Ah, yes, Mrs Malfoy. Please follow me to my office so we can discuss this better over a cup of tea."

Lucius and his wife followed the woman and drank the worst sort of foul water to exist in this world, how one could call that tea was beyond them. Nevertheless, they indulged the woman in mindless conversation; she seemed to think they were looking to make donations.

"Ms Summers, may we be so bold as to state bluntly what it is we are here for?" His wife was Merlin's gift in his life.

"Of course, Mrs Malfoy. Please tell me, how can I help you?"

"We are here to adopt a child. A boy by the name of John Doe." The woman looked so confused Lucius decided to treat her as he would a Gryffindor: small, easy words and objective speech. Or as objective as a Slytherin could be. "You see, this boy has a scholarship in our alma mater. We have strong ties to the school and I being an active figure on its running became aware of his more than good record. We want not only to invest in his bright future but to welcome him into our family."

"I would nothing more than to hold a son in my arms today, Ms Summers." His wife did know how to strike the killing blow. The watering eyes were a touch of art.

"It's so nice of you to want to give so much to this poor boy. I'll note for you all the things needed for adopting him. I'll even give you the contact of a friend of mine in the department who would surely help you make the process faster." Lucius stopped the woman's scribbles with a touch of his hand.

"Actually, Ms Summers, we were so eager to call John our son that we went through the system well before coming here. We just need your signature on these and we can, at last, take our son home." Lucius handed the papers to the woman who took her time reading through them and signing the boy away. Now all that was left was take him home start the adoption process at the Ministry.

"Come, Mr and Mrs Malfoy, I'll show you to John's room. With some luck, he's already back from the library."

* * *

That went well, even though he could only start borrowing books next week it was already a start. And wizards complained about their bureaucracy, they didn't know what it is until they had to deal with muggles. For this week going through his notes again would have to suffice, maybe reorganising them would be good.

John noticed a commotion in the orphanage's _living room._ Maybe the rare occasion of a couple coming to see children, not usual for summer but not unheard of. Anyway, it had nothing to do with him, like he told Draco; kids his age didn't get adopted.

"John! You're finally back! What took you so long? Come here and meet your new parents!"

"Parents?" What kind of drug did they Benny put in her tea this time? Really, he would retaliate if he were blamed for this one. He hadn't entered the room fully when a shock of white blonde hair assaulted his vision. He stopped shocked beyond words. This man was too old and his hair was too long to be Draco's, but damn weren't they alike?! "Mr Malfoy?"

The man got up to greet him, or so he assumed, but something got in the way. Rather someone judging by the hug he felt himself being enveloped in. After that, everything was a blur. He was led back to his room, packed and left the orphanage behind. Then he was whirled away appearing before the gates of a huge manor.

Upon entering, he was greeted by Draco's whines and then his squeals and hugs. He was taken to a room bigger than the one he shared with Draco in the Slytherin dorms and told it was his. Draco then whisked him off to dine with his parents and he was sure now they thought he was a fool who couldn't form a simple sentence. Then he was back in his room again laid over the fluffiness bed he ever touched, dressed in borrowed pyjamas from Draco and still shocked.

His door opened and the whole family was there again. They wanted to wish him a good night. He was to get a goodnight kiss from Draco's mother as if he was a little kid. He couldn't contain himself anymore. The dam broke and the only thing he could do was cling to Mrs Malfoy, Mum, and repeat his thanks and say how this was the best summer he had in fourteen years of life. He felt Draco by his side hugging him together with his mum, their mum. And a firm hand rub his back, that of a father, his father, their father. And the beautiful dreams he had when little coming true.


End file.
